~ There's no metaphysics on Earth like dessert.

Tag Archives: Brooklyn

As the song says, “Grays skies are gonna clear up,” and they have. Finally, after months and months, spring has descended upon us New York mole people in all her green, tuliped, pollen-filled glory. I’ve relocated my Claritin and my SPF 100 (don’t judge; even Angelina agrees that prevention is the best medicine) and have put on my happy face, as instructed.

Mostly. There have been some big changes afoot in my usually quiet life. Patience, children. I’ll tell you about them in due course. For now, suffice to say that I’m more reluctant than ever to leave my lovely little Brooklyn home.

I will divulge, however, that some days are bitter, some days are sweet, and some days require cookies. When I walked into Du Jour Bakery in Park Slope, a neighborhood bakery that opened last year to accolades, I ostensibly wanted something celebratory. Deep down, I really wanted just a cookie.

Readers. I am super excited. One of the best television shows of, dare I say it, ALL TIME is about to make its triumphant return. “Arrested Development”will debut its fourth and final season on Netflix beginning May 26. It is safe to say that I, along with many other AD nuts, will be shut-ins until we watch the whole season from start to finish. Better than having a hook for a hand though, right?

Luckily, the creative folks at Ample Hills Creamery, a wonder of a scoop shop in Prospect Heights, are also excited. Ample Hills is something like the Ben & Jerry’s of Brooklyn. They constantly churn out homemade, high quality, farfetched ice cream flavors with lots of textural mix-ins that are incredibly addictive. Their latest is an ode to the moneymaker of everyone’s favorite dysfunctional TV family: There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand.

The time has come when I can now return to normal eating habits. Yes, the three week “cleanse” has come to an end! Ideally, one would take the lessons of the cleanse – eat clean, healthy food; prepare food yourself; leave the processed junk behind – with oneself forever and ever. I… might not. I will try, for sure. In fact, I’ve now done away with all artificial sugar (I know, don’t hate), and I’ve even made friends with a long-reviled appliance, the blender. But some things are definitely coming back in force. Natural sweeteners, yes. Hellooo, dairy. And finally, welcome back, gluten.

Honestly, I’ve never understood folks who go gluten-free but aren’t actually Celiac. Sure, I can get behind eating more fiber-rich whole grains just like the next gal, but what is so bad about whole wheat? If you are not allergic, it can be just as healthy (or more so) than rice flour or some of the other, equally highly-refined gluten-free options.

So what did I do to mark my triumphant return to the world of gluten? I had a muffin.

I have a confession to make. I am a fan of reality TV. Okay, not all reality TV, but I firmly believe that some reality TV is better than other reality TV. For example: Top Chef is (was) an excellent example of reality TV that showcased brute talent, unfettered ambition, and improbable setups that lead to astoundingly inventive creations, much like its Bravo forebear, Project Runway.

Inevitably, all of this talent, ambition, and creativity leads many Top Chef contestants, winners or not, to open their own restaurants. Such was the case with Dale Talde, cheftestant on Season 4 of Top Chef, who opened an eponymous restaurant, Talde, and a pork-centric bar, Pork Slope, within the span of a year, both in Park Slope. Of course, Pork Slope has no dessert on offer. Talde, however, now has two: a newly developed chocolate pudding, and the standby classic, halo-halo.

For anyone who remembers this moment from Top Chef, the choice becomes a no-brainer.

When I was young, my parents hired a bunch of au pairs to take care of my siblings and me while they were at work. They came from all over Europe: Spain, Sweden, Germany, Holland. Does that seem like a lot? It is. Technically, they were each supposed to stay for a year, but my two brothers and I were never “easy” children, so any given au pair lasted for a maximum of six months before she sent herself back to her home country.

That is, all but one: a Norwegian woman who not only lasted the full year, but somehow even liked us. After she left, she would faithfully write us letters (imagine the pure joy of receiving an airmail envelope when you are eight-years-old) and, better yet, send us Christmas care packages every year. It didn’t matter that we were Jewish. No dreidel-wrapped toy could compare to our annual Norwegian God Jul bag of marshmallow ropes, caviar in a toothpaste tube (for one brother who adored the stuff), and cartons of licorice all-sorts (which none of us touched).

Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, my family still keeps in touch with this babysitter, and I’ve always felt a sort of kinship to Norway because of her. In fact, one of the things that drew me to N. when we first met was that he has a research fellowship in the same Norwegian city where she is from. Coincidence? I think not. Okay, maybe.

So when I heard about Bakeri, a bake shop opened by a Norwegian, whose name means “bakery” in Norwegian and which stocks treats like Fjørd bread (a loaf chock full of imported whole grains) and skolebrød, I couldn’t wait to check it out.

Something you should know about me: I have an affinity for almost any frozen dessert. Ice cream, gelato, custard, yogurt, even those concoctions of questionable chemical origin. If I can scoop it, I’ll probably enjoy it. This is not to say I don’t have discriminating taste – I do – but I believe that for every time and place there is an appropriate and complementary cold confection.

I’m especially spoiled. I live in Park Slope, where I have quick access to some of the most notable scoop shops in the city. If I want ice cream with a clever, textured twist, I go to Ample Hills Creamery. If I want a more refined, ultra-rich cone, I stop by Blue Marble. And if I am aiming for something a little cleaner and just a smidgen healthier, I go to Culture for their tangy homemade frozen yogurt.

Mimi’s Hummus in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn has some of the creamiest, earthiest hummus in New York City. This is not a debatable fact. If you’ve been enjoying the goods at places like Hummus Kitchen and Hummus Place, well, you’ve been doing fine because those joints put on a fine hummus show. But Mimi’s is where it’s at. And it’s not just the hummus that is delicious. Mimi’s knows how to work a vegetable like few other reasonably priced restaurants. Eggplant “caviar” under a pool of honey (an improbable but spectacular combination), a cauliflower salad dressed liberally with tahini and parsley… I could go on, but let’s cut to the important stuff.